iPhone 4S vs iPhone 4 – Camera Test [Head-to-Head Video Comparison]

When Apple announced the iPhone 4S, one of the few hardware aspects to change was the increase in the number of megapixels the in-built camera packs. By taking the iPhone 4’s 5 megapixel shooter, and upping it to the 8 megapixel part in the iPhone 4S, Apple not only managed to improve the quality of photographs the camera takes, but also to bump the video resolution from 720p to 1080p.

Apple’s own website explains just why the iPhone 4S’s camera is even better than the iPhone 4’s.

The iPhone 4S camera gives you 8 megapixels — that’s 60 percent more pixels than the camera on iPhone 4. They’re engineered with a higher, full-well capacity to collect even more light. With more megapixels and more light, you’ll see a dramatic difference in the resolution and details of your images. So your photos look stunning everywhere you show them off — on your iPhone, your computer, or your HDTV. And they’re rendered pixel for pixel in prints as large as 8×10.

Along with the other alterations under the hood, the iPhone 4S camera produces images that look ‘different’ from those shot from the iPhone 4. Whether one is better than the other is down to personal taste, though some of the Redmond Pie team feels that the 4S’s shots sport a more pleasing color reproduction than the iPhone 4, though that could well be in our heads!

But what about video quality?

Our very own Steven Chi has put together a short video showcasing both smartphones, with their video abilities being put to the test side-by-side. While the usual YouTube compression game has taken a slight toll on the quality, one thing that hasn’t changed is the color reproduction.

Again, the colors seem more natural in video taken on the iPhone 4S, and we’re sure we see slightly better detail in places. It’s not always easy to compare two sets of video like this though, without seeing the full resolution video from the source.

Still, check out the video for yourselves, and see what you think. We have no doubt that all those extra pixels, as well as the work Apple has done to the camera software, will mean the iPhone 4S is capable of kicking out some impressive video. We can’t wait to see what people start to produce with this thing. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that this is still a smartphone, and not a ‘proper’ camera!

Apple seem quite happy with the fruits of their labor, too.

With 8 megapixels and all-new optics, this just might be the best camera ever on a mobile phone. It just might be the only camera you’ll ever need. And if you think that’s amazing, wait until you see your photos

Bold claims indeed, but you know, they might just be right.

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